Cam shaft shift control means



1932- E. RICHTER ET AL 1,873,481

CAM' SHAFT SHIFT CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 15, 1952 Ella-t l f ELLE--fi- INVENTOR:

Emzlliliekkr Maw flie h/fer,

6J4 ATTORN Patented Aug. 23,1932

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE EMIL RICHTER, F WYOMISSING, AND MAX RICHTER, OF WEST READING, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO TEXTILE MACHINE WORKS, OF WYOMISSING, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CAM SHAFT SHIFT CONTROL MEANS Application filed January 15, 1932. Serial No. 586,818.

This invention'relates to flat knitting machines, such as those employed in the manufacture of full fashioned hosiery, and particularly to the camshaft motion thereof.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and eflicient fluid actuated device for controlling the longitudinal shifting action of the cam shaft, which is automatically performed for the purpose of effecting lateral transferring of stitches, in narrowing and in the production of the picot edge and other design work in the fabric being produced; the device of the present inven tion being adapted to function as a brake and to absorb any shock attending the longi 'tudinal movement of the cam shaft.

A further object is to embody such a device in one of the bearings of the cam shaft.

Other objects and attendant'advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the device, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which: I

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the device as applied to a full fashioned knitting machine;

a Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 33, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified formof the invention.

In the drawing, the main cam shaft of a flat full fashioned hosiery knitting machine is indicated at 1. The cam shaft 1 is rotatably and slidably mounted in suitable bearings, carried by the main frames 2 of the machine, and is adapted to be shifted longitudinally and maintained in either of two operative positions by the usual roller 3 cooperating with cams 4 and 5 secured to the cam shaft 1.

In the present instance one of the cam shaft bearings is replaced by the device which forms the subject of the present invention. The device 10 comprises a plate 11 having a bearing 12 in which the cam shaft 1 is rotatably and slidably mounted. Secured to the shaft 1 is a piston 13, which is adapted to operate in a cylindrical cavity 14 formed in a casing 15 that is secured to the plate 11 and frame 2 by screws 16, 16, in the present 11%31331108, and to the plate 11 alone by screws 1 Each valve is provided with a frustoconical head 24 adapted to seatagainst a correspondingly shaped wall 25 at the inner end of each of the valve chambers 21, said wall 25 normally closing openings 26, 26, formed in the head 24 of each valve.

Extending from the head 24 of each valve, through an opening 27 that constitutes a passage between the piston chamber 14 and the valve chamber 21, is an abutment 28,

which is carried by and is adjustable with respect to the valve head 24.

Within the hollow of each valve body 20 and confined between the head 24 of the valve and a pin or rod 29 which extends across the valve chamber 21, through slots 30 formed in each side of the hollow cylindrical valve body 20, is a spring 31, which normally maintains the frusto-conical surface of the valve head 24 against its seat 25.

In operation, when the cam shaft 1 is shifted longitudinally, in one direction, the piston 13 is moved likewise in the chamber 14, trapping air between the advancing side of the piston. and the adjacent head of the chamber 14, thus acting as a brake for the cam shaft 1 and absorbing any shock attending the shifting of the cam shaft. When the pressure of the trapped air exceeds the valveclosing pressure exerted by the spring 31 the valve 20 is unseated, permitting the air to escape slowly through the passage 27 into the inner end of the valve chamber 21 and thence through the openin s 26 in the valve head 24 into the hollow valve body 20, from which the trapped air escapes to the atmosphere. the end of its stroke the advancing face of the piston 13 engages the valve abutment 28 and forcibly unseats the valve, or moves the valve to its maximum open position in event .of its having been previously unseated by the then advancing, side of the piston 13 and the adjacent head of the chamber 14: will be compressed and act against the second valve 20, in the same manner as above noted.

The first valve 20, by contact ofits abutment 28 with the piston 13, is held open during the initial movement of the piston in the reverse direction, thus preventing the creation of such a vacuum in the piston chamber behind the moving piston as would materially retard the initial movement of the piston 13 and the cam shaft 1. A partial vacuum behind the piston is desirable when the piston approaches the end of its stroke'as such vacuum cooperates with the air trapped at the opposite advancing side of the piston to absorb the shock attending such movement of the cam shaft 1 and to assist in the slowing up of the longitudinal movement of the cam shaft as it approaches the end of its stroke.

While the form of the invention shown in Fig. '3 has been described as, making use of free air, or a gaseous fluid, the. embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, is adapted for use with a confined fluid, preferably a liquid. In this form of the invention the valves 20, 20 are eliminated and the piston 13a is provided with openings 35 which extend completely through the piston and provides restricted communication between the opposite ends of the piston chamber 14a, the fluid 36 being trapped in one end of the chamber 14a and escaping slowly to the other end through the restricted openings 35 when the piston 13a is shifted longitudinally in the chamber 14a, the slow escape of the fluid through the restricted openings 35, 35 retarding the movement of the camshaft and acting as a brake and shock absorber therefor.-

Instead of one, two or more of the devices 10 can be applied in simllar manner as above described and along the length of the cam shaft.

The illustrative embodiment of the cam shaft shift control means specifically shown and described can be further changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed, as will be apparent from the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam As the cam shaft 1 approachesvshaft and. fluid-cushioning means for absorbing shock attending the shiftingof said cam shaft.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft and hydraulic cushioning means for absorbing shock attending the shifting of said shaft.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft and fluid-actuated means for c0ntrolling the shifting-movements of the cam shaft.

4. In a knitting machine, thecombination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, and bearing means therefor adapted to absorb the shock attending the shifting thereof.

5. In a knitting machine, thecombination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft and fluid-controlling means for re; tarding the longitudinal movements of said cam shaft throughout at least a predetermined portion of each of said shifting movements. y p

6. In a knitting'machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a cylinder and a piston operable therein, one of which is maintained in a relatively fixed position while the other is operatively connected to the cam shaft for corresponding shiftable movement therewith, and means for controlling the flow of fluid in the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston for controlling the shifting movements of the cam shaft.

7. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally "shiftable cam shaft, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and operatively connected to said cam shaft for corresponding shiftable movement therewith and with respect to said cylinder, and means for controlling a flow of fluid from one end of said cylinder to control-the move ment ofthe piston in one direction therein, thereby controlling the corresponding shifting movement of the cam shaft.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable. cam shaft, a piston secured to said cam shaft, a relatively fixed cylinder in whichisaid piston operates, and means for controlling the flow of fluid to and from the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston for controlling the shifting movements of the cam shaft.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a piston secured to said cam shaft, a relatively fixed cylinder in which said piston operates,-

a closure head at each end of the cylinder, and a valve in each closure foncontrolling the flow of fluid from itsrespective end of the cylinder for controlling a shifting movement of the, cam shaft in a direction toward the I,

valve.

10. In a knitting machine, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a piston secured to said cam shaft, a relatively fixed cylinder in which said piston operates, a closure head at each end of the cylinder, a valve in each closure head for controlling the flow of fluid from its respective end of the cylinder for controlling a shifting movement of the cam shaft in a direction toward the valve, and means intermediate the valve and the piston and carried by one thereof for engagement with the other thereof, to positively unseat the valve adjacent the end of the said movement of the cam shaft and the piston secured thereto.

11. In a knitting machine, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a piston secured to said cam shaft, a relatively fixed cylinder in which said piston operates, a closure head at each end of the cyllnder, a valve in each closure head for controlling the flow of fluid from its respective end of the cylinder for controlling a shifting movement of the cam shaft in a direction toward the valve, and a projection on the valve adapted to be engaged by the piston for positively unseating the valve adjacent the end of the said movement of the cam shaft and the piston secured thereto.

12. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a cylinder and a piston operable therein with one operatively connected to the cam shaft and the other maintained in a relatively fixed position with respect thereto so as to function as ,abearing for the cam shaft, and means for controlling the displacement of fluid in the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston for controlling the shifting movements of the cam shaft.

13. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotary longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a cylinder and a piston operable therein with one operatively connected to the cam shaft and the other maintained in a relatively fixed position with respect thereto, and means for restricting the rate of displacement of fluid in the cylinder between opposite sides of the piston for controlling the. shifting movements of the cam shaft.

14. In a knitting machine, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a cylinder and a piston operable therein with one operatively connected to the cam shaft and the other maintained in a relatively fixed position with respect thereto, a self-closing valve at each end of the cylinder for controlling the exhaust of fluid therefrom when the cam shaft is moving in one direction, and means for restraining the valve against closing during at least the initial movement of the cam shaft in the opposite direction.

15. In a knitting machine, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable cam shaft, a

cylinder and a piston operable therein with one operatively connected to the cam shaft the valve, and means for restraining the valve against closing during at least the initial movement of the cam shaft in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

EMIL RICHTER. MAX RICHTER. 

